Court issues arrest warrant for Parliament director

The Anti-Corruption Court yesterday ordered for the arrest of the Director of Parliament budget office, Mr Samuel Wanyaka, over a number of corruption-related charges preferred against him.

The arrest warrant was prompted by the Inspector General of Government, following a week of fruitless search for him to respond to the charges. He is reported to be in hiding.The arrest warrant was issued by Chief Magistrate Sarah Langa Siu who set June 6 for Mr Wanyaka to plead to the corruption charges.

According to the charge sheet, which was tendered in court by the head of legal at the Inspectorate, Mr Sydney Asubo, Mr Wanyaka is facing charges of embezzlement, abuse of office and false accounting.

Under the charge of embezzlement, the IGG alleges that Mr Wanyaka between August 13 and December 9 last year, stole over Shs822m meant for conducting service delivery surveys in Uganda, which money he had access to by virtue of his employment.

Mr Wanyaka is also charged with abuse of office on claims that between August 13, 2012 and December 9, 2013, for purposes of gain and in abuse of authority, received over Shs822m meant for conducting service delivery in Uganda but put the money to his personal use.Mr Wanyaka’s woes begun early this year after a whistleblower complained to the IGG about the officers conduct.

In response however, Mr Wanyaka described the allegations as “false” and said “some people” at Parliament were witch-hunting him. The IGG, then directed the Clerk to Parliament, Ms Jane Kibirige, to suspend Mr Wanyaka, an order that was first ignored but he was eventually sent on forced leave by the Parliamentary Commission to pave way for the investigations.